34 pages • 1 hour read
Waiting For Lefty
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Book Brief
32
Play • Fiction
New York City • 1930s
1935
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Waiting for Lefty by Clifford Odets depicts a tense union meeting where taxi drivers debate whether to strike for better wages. Union leader Harry Fatt tries to suppress the idea, while workers share personal stories highlighting their struggles. As tension escalates, the search for their chairman, Lefty, ends in a shocking revelation, propelling the workers to fervently chant for a strike.
Challenging
Gritty
Dark
Suspenseful
Emotional
Reviews & Readership
992 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Reviews for Clifford Odets’ Waiting For Lefty reveal a poignant portrayal of working-class struggles that captures the spirit of the 1930s labor movement. Praised for its raw emotional power and social relevance, some critiques note its dated dialogue and occasionally one-dimensional characters. Overall, it remains an impactful and historically significant piece of American theater.
Who Should Read Waiting For Lefty?
Readers passionate about social justice issues and class struggles will enjoy Clifford Odets' Waiting for Lefty. Comparable to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, this play appeals to those interested in the labor movement and the plight of the working class during the Great Depression.
992 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
32
Play • Fiction
New York City • 1930s
1935
Adult
18+ years
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